diff --git a/autotests/filemetadatawidgettest.cpp b/autotests/filemetadatawidgettest.cpp
--- a/autotests/filemetadatawidgettest.cpp
+++ b/autotests/filemetadatawidgettest.cpp
@@ -65,10 +65,11 @@
     // Ensure show configuration
     KConfig config("baloofileinformationrc", KConfig::NoGlobals);
     KConfigGroup settings = config.group("Show");
-    const auto keys = settings.keyList();
+    const auto keys = settings.keyList() + QStringList{QStringLiteral("albumArtist")};
     for (const auto &key: keys) {
         settings.writeEntry(key, true);
     }
+    QVERIFY(settings.readEntry(QStringLiteral("albumArtist"), false));
 
     const QString exe = QStandardPaths::findExecutable(QStringLiteral("setfattr"));
 
@@ -191,6 +192,7 @@
     QVERIFY(!valueWidget);
 
     valueWidget = m_widget->findChild<QLabel*>("kfileitem#totalSize");
+    QVERIFY2(valueWidget, "kfileitem#totalSize not found");
     // circumvent i18n formatting
     QCOMPARE(valueWidget->text().left(3), QLatin1String("153"));
 
diff --git a/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.cpp b/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.cpp
--- a/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.cpp
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@
 
     QListWidgetItem* item = new QListWidgetItem(label, m_metaDataList);
     item->setData(Qt::UserRole, key);
-    const bool show = settings.readEntry(key, true);
+    const bool show = settings.readEntry(key, false);
     item->setCheckState(show ? Qt::Checked : Qt::Unchecked);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/metadatafilter.cpp b/src/metadatafilter.cpp
--- a/src/metadatafilter.cpp
+++ b/src/metadatafilter.cpp
@@ -41,55 +41,31 @@
 
 void MetadataFilter::initMetaInformationSettings()
 {
-    const int currentVersion = 8; // increase version, if the blacklist of disabled
-    // properties should be updated
+    const int currentVersion = 9; // increase version, to update the list of properties shown by default
 
     KConfig config("baloofileinformationrc", KConfig::NoGlobals);
     if (config.group("Misc").readEntry("version", 0) < currentVersion) {
         // The resource file is read the first time. Assure
-        // that some meta information is disabled per default.
+        // that some meta information is enabled per default.
 
         // clear old info
         config.deleteGroup("Show");
         KConfigGroup settings = config.group("Show");
-
-        static const char* const disabledProperties[] = {
-            "comment",
-            "contentSize",
-            "depends",
-            "isPartOf",
-            "lastModified",
-            "created",
-            "contentCreated",
-            "mimeType",
-            "plainTextContent",
-            "url",
-            "hasPart",
-            "averageBitrate",
-            "channels",
-            "fileName",
-            "fileSize",
-            "Exif.Photo.ApertureValue",
-            "Exif.Photo.ExposureBiasValue",
-            "Exif.Photo.ExposureTime",
-            "Exif.Photo.Flash",
-            "Exif.Photo.FocalLength",
-            "Exif.Photo.FocalLengthIn35mmFilm",
-            "Exif.Photo.IsoSpeedRatings",
-            "Exif.Photo.MeteringMode",
-            "Exif.Photo.Orientation",
-            "Exif.Photo.WhiteBalance",
-            "Exif.Image.Make",
-            "Exif.Image.Model",
-            "Exif.Image.DateTime",
-            "Exif.Image.Orientation",
-            "kfileitem#owner",
-            "kfileitem#permissions",
-            0 // mandatory last entry
+        const QStringList propertiesEnabledByDefault = {
+            QStringLiteral("tags"),
+            QStringLiteral("userComment"),
+            QStringLiteral("rating"),
+            QStringLiteral("kfileitem#modified"),
+            QStringLiteral("kfileitem#size"),
+            QStringLiteral("kfileitem#totalSize"),
+            QStringLiteral("kfileitem#type"),
+            QStringLiteral("title"),
+            QStringLiteral("width"),
+            QStringLiteral("height"),
         };
 
-        for (int i = 0; disabledProperties[i] != 0; ++i) {
-            settings.writeEntry(disabledProperties[i], false);
+        for (const auto& property : propertiesEnabledByDefault) {
+            settings.writeEntry(property, true);
         }
 
         // mark the group as initialized
@@ -111,7 +87,7 @@
     QVariantMap::iterator it = finalData.begin();
     while (it != finalData.end()) {
         const QString uriString = it.key();
-        if (!settings.readEntry(uriString, true)) {
+        if (!settings.readEntry(uriString, false)) {
             it = finalData.erase(it);
         } else {
             ++it;